Conventionally, the above type of drag mechanism has been disposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,419. The drag mechanism is provided at the rear of the reel body with an adjuster which urges first and second friction plates to adjust an initial rotational load applied against rotation of the spool shaft and with an adjusting knob so that the braking force applied to the spool shaft is desirably adjustable relative to its minimum value, i.e., within a range from a minimum to a maximum value. The adjusting knob is axially movable and rotatable relative to the adjuster, is connected integrally therewith at a desired position to rotate relative to each other, and is restricted to rotate only within a predetermined range with respect to the reel body. The adjuster is adjusted to obtain a desired load set as an initial rotation load for the spool shaft. In order for the drag mechanism to adjust the rotation start load for the spool shaft to a desired set load, the adjusting knob is rotated to be set in the minimum load point with respect to the load adjuster and then is made integral therewith, so that the adjuster is adjusted to obtain the desired set load, i.e., the initial rotation load.
In this case, however, the adjusting knob is required to be released from engagement with the adjuster and to be set to its minimum or maximum load position. Also, in order to rotate the adjuster, the adjusting knob is required to connect therewith and thereafter be set in minimum load position. In other words, it is necessary that the adjusting knob first be released from the engagement with adjuster, set in the minimum or maximum load position, and thereafter reconnected to the adjuster, so that the adjuster rotates through the adjusting knob to set the rotation start load and the adjusting knob is reset in the minimum load position, thereby creating a problem of troublesome load setting. Also, an angler, even when he intends to reduce the rotation start load or to increase the maximum load therefor, adjusting the range of adjustment of the braking force cannot be rapidly changed corresponding to a sudden hooking of a fish, thereby causing a break in the fishing line or an escape of the hooked fish. Furthermore, a lack of any display of the amount of the set load causes the angler to be uninformed of the intensity of adjusted load.